from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Screw \Screw\ (skr[udd]), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Screwed}
(skr[udd]d); p. pr. & vb. n. {Screwing}.]
1. To turn, as a screw; to apply a screw to; to press,
fasten, or make firm, by means of a screw or screws; as,
to screw a lock on a door; to screw a press.
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2. To force; to squeeze; to press, as by screws.
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But screw your courage to the sticking place,
And we'll not fail. --Shak.
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3. Hence: To practice extortion upon; to oppress by
unreasonable or extortionate exactions.
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Our country landlords, by unmeasurable screwing and
racking their tenants, have already reduced the
miserable people to a worse condition than the
peasants in France. --swift.
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4. To twist; to distort; as, to screw his visage.
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He screwed his face into a hardened smile. --Dryden.
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5. To examine rigidly, as a student; to subject to a severe
examination. [Cant, American Colleges]
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{To screw out}, to press out; to extort.
{To screw up},
(a) to force; to bring by violent pressure. --Howell.
(b) to damage by unskillful effort; to bungle; to botch;
to mess up; as, he screwed up the contract
negotiations, and we lost the deal.
(c) [intrans.] to fail by unskillful effort, usually
causing unpleasant consequences.
{To screw in}, to force in by turning or twisting.
{Screw around},
(a) to act aimlessly or unproductively.
(b) to commit adultery; to be sexually promiscuous.
{Screw around with}, to operate or make changes on (a machine
or device) without expert knowledge; to fiddle with.
[Colloq.] . -->
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